Nipping press for bookbinding



Qiufiy 24, W53 1. e. KITCAT NIPPING PRESS FOR BOOKBINDING 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan, 23 1'35].

Inventor ZEUJ/J 50096 flcof L. G. KITCAT NIPPING PRESS FOR BOOKBINDING Juli y E4, 1953 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 23, 1951 8 ma 5 4 o m V I! 2 Mm 2v (.1 7 i 5 m 5 2 A m W Z l r u a z a J \wv P Q a s 0V #7! .9 6 5 4/ M 0/0 2L 2 M. 7 l 2 u 5 2 W my. 7. 3 M G IIEIIIIJ I Patented July 14, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE NIPPING PRESS FOR BOOKBINDING Lewis George Kitcat, London, England Application January 23, 1951, Serial No. 207,320

In Great Britain May 5, 1949 8 Claims.

This invention relates to book-binding and more particularly to an early or initial stage o binding where by reason of the type of paper or other causes there is an excessive swell in the back of the book that is to say the thickness at the back of the assembled sheets is greater than at the opposed free edges comprising the front edge of the assembly. Attempts to press out this swell by the use of the ordinary book-binding press in which the work receives a level pressure all over is a slow and tedious job and if hurried almost inevitably results in the front and back edges of the laminated sheets being deformed in various Ways, because clearly as the upper platen of the press descends the proud upper corner of the back edge first receives the pressure, and consequently until all of the sheets are under. uniform pressure there is little safeguard against displacement of the predominating portion of the sheets in the plane parallel with the platens of the press. The object of the present invention is to obviate this disadvantage.

According to the present invention, when subjecting the books to pressure, the pressure is applied in two stages, the first stage consisting in subjecting all of the sheets to uniform pressure between pressure applying members over an area spaced. from the aforesaid swollen back edge so as to grip all of the sheets against relative displacement in their planes of support, the second stage consisting in applying pressure to the said swollen back edge by a pressure applying member which generates a path of effective movement which is complementary to that required to cause the swollen or deformed back edge and adjacent marginal part to conform with the parallel relationship of the parts of the sheets of the book held relatively immovable by the first pressure operation.

The present invention can be regarded s broadly consisting in the provision of means adapted, to grip the assembly of sheets against relative displacement in planes parallel with each other and thereupon to apply a subsequent pressing operation to the marginal part of the book adjacent the treated back edge so as to press such marginal part into true co-planar relationship with the remainder of the book.

In order that the invention may ,be clearly understood and readily carried into effect drawings are appended hereto illustratingan embodiment thereof, and wherein Y Figure 1 shows a book with a pronounced swell at the back as it leaves the initial binding stage.

bar 4.

Figure 2 shows a book with the swell pressed out and in the form it is desired to achieve.

Figure 3 shows how such a book may become deformed at its edges when it has been pressed in the ordinary book-binders press. c

Figures 4, 5 and 6 show respectively diagrammatically stages in the book pressing when adopting the present invention, a machine embodying mechanism to achieve these steps being shown. in sectional elevation in Figure '7.

Figure 8 is a front elevation of Figure 7.

Referring to the drawings the book I as shown in Figure l, i. e. with a swollen back, is placed as shown diagrammatically in Figure 4 on a platform 2 in the machine with the back seating on the platform. When the book, or as is preferred in practice, a number of books, is, orlare, placed on theplatform 2 a press head 3 is urged towards aco-operatingabutment bar 4 which in common with the press head 3 extends at least the full length of the back of the book. The abutment bar 4 is slidable in horizontal guides, under the influence of the pressure of the head 3, against the influence of a number of compression springs 5 so that the work is pinched between the head 3, with the base of the head 3 in light, contact with the platform 2, and the abutment bar 4, which as shown has a clearance 6 above the platform whereby the swell l is directed into the clearance B.

The next cycle of operations is to remove this swell l by introducing pressure thereto in a plane co-planar with the book engaging face of the abutment bar 4 and completely spanning the space 6 and this will involve affording downward displacement of the platform 2 relative to the gripped work to prevent the platform 2 fouling the means which presses the swell from the work. This downward displacement of the platform 2 iseifected contemporaneously with the swell-removing pressure.

The pressing inand removal of the swell I is effected by a pinching bar 8, which, following the compression of the book between the presser head- 3 and the abutment 4 has an operative face 8 thereof moved into co-planar relationship with the operative face of the abutment The pinching bar 8 prior to the displacement of the abutment 4 against the influence of the spring 5 is spaced slightly away from the book receiving part of the machine as shown in Figure 7, the bars 4 and 8 having opposed diagonal surfaces 4a and 8a which conpresser bar 3 which brings the upper edge of the operative face 3 of the pinching bar into contact with the lower edge of the operative face of the presser bar 4, this point of contact bein on the axis of partial rotation of the pinching bar 8 which is constituted by any suitable form of bearings supporting the pinching bar 8. For example, the pinching bar 8 can be extended slightly beyondthe abutment bar 4 and be journalled by bosses in bushes formed in the machine frame 9, these bosses or bearings being indicated by the broken circle H3 in Figure 7.

Following the engagement of the inclined faces 4a and 8a of the abutment bar and pinching bar, the pinching bar is urged about its axis of partial rotation so as to bring the work engaging face 8 into co-planar relationship with the work engaging face of the bar 4 and simultaneously the platform 2 is displaced by reason of the engagement of part of the face 8 of the bar 8 therewith, this displacement being downwardly and forwardly so that the platform 2 is maintained parallel with the horizontal plane.

Although in Figures 4, L and 6 the operation of the pinching bar 8 and displacement of the platform 2 is shown purely diagrammatically as effected by means of an eccentric H directly engaging a roller or rollers on the pinching bar 8, in practice the arrangement shown in Figures '7 and 8 is adopted in which a cam H is fixed to a shaft l2 and operates against a roller [3 on one limb of a bell cranked lever 14 journalled on a rod l5, the other arm of this lever being connected by an adjustable link l6 to a lug ll depending from the pinching bar 8.

The shaft 12 also carries a cam 18 which tracks a roller IS on the lower end of an arm 20 pivoted at its upper end by pins 2| which also connect together the opposed ends of a pair of links 22 and 23, the link 23 being pivoted to the presser bar 3 and the link 22 to an adjustable bar 24 guided along side bars 25 and set to the desired fixed position by a pair of feed screws 26 fixed to the bar 24 and splined through a pair of pinions 2T driven by a chain 28 off a sprocket 29 on the shaft of a handwheel 30 which normally is lockec in position by a keeper pin 3| which is removed when it is desired to apply a movement of translation to the bar 24. The two shafts 26 engage a common abutment member loaded by a pair of coiled compression springs 32 in housing 33 mounted on the machine frame and normally not yielding to any pressure transmitted to the bar 24 by reason of the operation of the cam i8 upon the arm 28 and links 22 and 23.

h p p f h 5 rings to provide for displaceme t of the presser bar in the or -it of the work inserted between the presser 3 and pinching bar demanding an increase of the space between such two bars, and thus prevent breakage of the machine, particularly when the work takes the fo m of a number of books being treated at one opei tion.

A. coiled tension spring '34 is con: ted across the links 22 and 23 and the frame of the machine in a direction which will ma'nt in the roller on the arm in positive engagement with the cam 8, a further coiled tension spring 35 being connected across the upper limb of the bell cranked lever i and an opposed part of the frame 3 to maintain permanent driving connection between the bell crank lever it and the cam is.

The aforesaid downward displacement of the platform 2 when the pinching bar a engages the appropriate edge thereof is ensured by guiding this plate along a parallel pair of inclined guide rods 36 fixed across the interior of the frame 9 and receiving slides 37 formed on depending webs 38 on the platform, the platform being returned to its upper position by coiled compression springs 39 disposed about the guide rods 36.

The shaft I2 carrying the cam is driven off any suitable form of motor 49 which is operatively connected to the shaft l2 by a clutch M operated by a striker arm actuated off a foot pedal 43.

I claim:

1. A press for use in bookbinding and particularly for removing the swell at the backs of the assem lies of sheets to form books comprising a platform. acting as a location abutment back ed e of the work, oppo d :2, paraile' th said platform and b'*-- the work is located when its back 0 o is a :1 against the platform, ans to d 0 one gripper other to rip the work, the grippers onally relative to the plat wOlk is gripped a marginal well oft exposed, pinching means actu ted relative to said grippers to compress the said exposed marginal liowing the gripping of the arating the .i "ion of the said marginal part.

2. A press for in bookbinding and particuarl ti oil at the bacl of the 01in books co 'ising a location abutine for the opposed spaced grippers .llel with said 1 form and between which or is iocat when its back edge is sutted the platform, means to drive one gripper the other grip the work, grippers ing so related positionally relative to the platform that when the work is gripped one gripper is very elo 'o the d the other is s from the plat Jr .1 suiii ntly to expose a arginal side part of the work between itself and the platform to a depth of the work suiiicient to contain the swell to be remov' a swell removing pinching mcn'=.ber, men s to inov-asaid pinching member against the we here :posed between the platform and the latter mentioned gripper, and means to separate the platfo:m from the back edge of the work before co Action of the pinching out of the swell pinching 111611111).

3. A press for use in bookbinding and particularly for removing the swell at the backs of assemblies-of sheets to form books, comprising a platform serving as an abutment for the back edge of the work, an abutment bar perpendicular to the platform affording with the platform a right angle support for one side and the back of the book, a presser bar between which and the abutment bar the work is located, said presser bar being parallel with and spaced from the platform a distance sufficient to expose a marginal side part of the work to a depth sufficient to contain the swell to be removed, means to move one of said bars towards the other bar to grip the work, a pincher bar, and means to drive the pincher bar against the said exposed marginal part of the work after the work has been gripped between the abutment bar and presser bar.

4. A press for use in bookbinding and particularly for removing the swell at the backs of assemblies of sheets to form books, comprising a platform serving as an abutment for the back edge of the work, an abutment bar perpendicular to the platform affording with the platform a right angle support for one side and the back of the book, a presser bar between which and the abutment bar the work is located, said presser bar being parallel with and spaced from the platform a distance suiiicient to expose a marginal side part of the work to a depth sufiicient to contain the swell to be removed, means to move one of said bars towards the other bar to grip the work, a pincher bar, means to drive thelpincher bar against the said exposed marginal part of the work after the work has been gripped between the abutment bar and presser bar, and means separating the platform from the work during the work pinching operation of said pincher bar.

5. A press for use in bookbinding and particularly for removing the swell at the backs of the assemblies of sheets to form books comprising a work back-edge-contacting flat abutment and a work side-face-contacting flat abutment at right angles with each other affording a right angle support for the work, a presser member spaced from the work back-edge-contacting abutment and having a fiat work-engaging-face opposed to and spaced from the work side-facecontacting abutment, means to drive the sideface-contacting abutment towards the presser member to grip the work between the side-facecontacting abutment and the presser member, a work pinching member displaceable towards and away from the work and opposed to the said side-face-contacting abutment and having a fiat work-engaging-face, and means to actuate the said pinching member against the side part of the work exposed between the'presser member and the back-edge-contacting abutment and to bring its fiat work-engaging-face co-planar with the flat work-engaging-face of said presser member automatically following gripping of the work ing a uniform length of reciprocating stroke to such abutment, and means to vary the terminal positions of said stroke to suit difierent-thicknesses of work.

7. A press according to claim 6, wherein said means to vary the terminal positions of said one to the said abutment and the other to the said locator member, means to adjust selectively the locator member translatively towards and away from the said work back-edge-contacting abutment, a push-pull member to which the links are pivotally connected at their other ends, and

means to drive said push-pull member.

between the side-face-contacting abutment and the presser member.

6. A press for use in bookbinding and particularly for removing the swell at the backs of the assemblies of sheets to form books comprising a work back-edge-contacting fiat abutment and a work side-face-contacting fiat abutment at right angles with each other affording a right angle support for the work, a presser member spaced from the work back-edge-contacting abutment and having a fiat work-engaging-face opposed to and spaced from the work side-facecontacting abutment, means to drive the sideface-contacting abutment towards the presser member to grip the work between the side-facecontacting abutment and the presser member, a work pinching member dsiplaceable towards and away from the work and opposed to the said sideface-contacting abutment and having a flat Workengaging-face, means to actuate the said pinching member against the side part of the work exposed between the presser member and the back-edge-contacting abutment and to bring its flat work-engaging-face co-planar with theflat work-engaging-face of said presser member automatically following gripping of the work between the side-face-contacting abutment and the presser member, spring means urging the said presser into the position at which it is engaged by the work and yieldingly opposing the operative pressure of the side-face-contaoting abutment, said means driving said latter abutment impart- 8. A press for use in bookbinding and particularly for removing the swell at the backs of the assembliesof sheets to form books comprising a work back-edge--contacting fiat abutment and a a work side-face-contacting flat abutment at right angles with each other affording a rightangle support for the work, a presser member spaced from the work back-edgecontacting abutment and having a flat work-engaging-face opposed to and spaced from the work side-facecontacting abutment, means to drive the sideface-contacting abutment towards the presser member to grip the work between the side-facecontacting abutment and the presser member, a work pinching member displaceable towards and away from the work and opposed to the said side-face-contacting abutment and having'a flat work-engaging-face, means to actuate thesaid pinching member against the side part of the work exposed between the presser member and the back-edge-contacting abutment and to bring its flat work-engaging-face co-planar with the fiat work-engaging-face of said presser member automatically following gripping of the work between the side-face-contacting abutment andthe presser member,.spring means urging the said presser into the position at which it is engaged by the work and yieldingly opposing the operative pressure of the side-face-contacting abutment, said means driving said latter abutment imparting a uniform length of reciprocating stroke to such abutment, means to vary the terminal positions of said stroke to suit different thicknesses of work, means maintaining the said back-edgeengaging abutment parallel with the plane of support for the work and slidably guding said abutment at a relatively inclined path of movement away from and back to its work supporting position, means to drive said latter abutment away from the work, and spring means returning it to its Work supporting position.

LEWIS GEORGE KITCAT.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

